Entry level DSLR and lenses help!

[KLKA]

I'm in Christchurch. The store I went to was Hanafins which I thought would be a good choice as I would get some really good advice. The first salesman showed me the Canon I was interested in and didn't try and talk me out of it even though he claims to be a Nikon man!

I've had a good look online at reviews etc but there are so many different ones with different opinions and it all comes down to the fact that the 600D and the D5100 will be excellent starting points and the kit lenses will be sufficient until I outgrow them or decide to take it all further.

I feel like its much the same as buying a car! Everyone has their preference and there are pro's and con's for every make and model.

[BlueRose]

Oh if you are in CHCH then GOOD NEWS - go to either PhotoWarehouse on Fitzgerald Ave (just up from Lichfield) or go to Photo and Video in Merivale Mall (one of the best stores in the country)

These guys REALLY know their stuff and have an absolute Clue - Hanafins is the same as Harvey Norman or Dick Smith (the one guy who used to have a clue left a couple of years ago)

I've had a good look online at reviews etc but there are so many different ones with different opinions and it all comes down to the fact that the 600D and the D5100 will be excellent starting points and the kit lenses will be sufficient until I outgrow them or decide to take it all further.

From the sentence above it sounds like you have just about got there - I would recommend looking at the costs of the good lenses in the kind of range you want - because when you DO want to to upgrade that will make the difference - if you spend $2k now on either option but its a difference between a $2k lens or a $3k lens it may be a decider.

If you are really stuck I would be happy to catchup and let you have a play with my gear, so you can get a feel for it Im around this weekend

[KLKA]

That is really kind of you Blue Rose! I live rurally (near Darfield) and don't tend to come into town on my weekends but I will see what we have planned.

Thanks for the info, I spoke to a colleague before who does all our marketing photos for work and does photography courses, she says she has a Nikon but wants to upgrade and is thinking of switching to Canon. She also compared it to the Holden Vs Ford debate

She also recommended PhotoWarehouse or Paul's Camera on Riccarton Rd. I will stop by one of the two tomorrow (I work near Riccarton) so both are quite central to me

[rjd]

I would recommend Photo and video international in merivale.

As to which camera, to be honest they are all astoundingly good and the technical differences are rather minor.

so buy canon.

[KLKA]

Excellent. Great advice. Going shopping tomorrow!

[riley989]

Make sure you tell us what you got :P

[KLKA]

So I got a 600D!

I'm dying to play with it.. take my first photo! Anyone have an important first tip for me!?

[riley989]

The manual is your friend:P Did you grab the twin lens kit?

[rjd]

Switch to P mode and single focus point

[Phillip W]

Remember to take the lens cap off.

[KLKA]

Remember to take the lens cap off.

I was expecting that one!

Yes I got the twin lens kit..

I was a bit scared handling it when I first got it out the box. I took it up to the horses with me for a few photos, they put on a fairly good show. The only trouble was the flash was on and kept reflecting in the horses eyes. Never mind. First learning point

[rjd]

In auto modes the camera will pop the flash when it thinks its needed.

[KLKA]

In auto modes the camera will pop the flash when it thinks its needed.

Something I would know if I had read the manual first.. of course I'm far too impatient!

[BlueRose]

I seriously recommend the Digital Field guide series - Scorpio in town have them and they are about $30 and WELL worth the investment. They not only tell you what the options are and how to change them but also WHY some options will make a difference, which is the info you REALLY need

Congrats on the new toy!

[KLKA]

What about the "Dummies for..." guide?

I put the zoom lens tonight and got some reasonable photos but they look grainy. What am I doing wrong? (apart from use it on manual mode - oh well lol)

[rjd]

Always best to post examples, host them at flickr or photobucket or upload them direct.

Grainy pics are likely because the camera is using higher ISO ( basically amplifying the light more) probably due to low light or somehow you have stopped the lens down to a very small aperture.

[KLKA]

Ok here we go.. I had no luck earlier posting directly. I am still on manual mode (but without flash this time) so I assume they'll get better as I learn more but I'd still like to get decent quality photos while I learn

http://flickr.com/gp/76557880@N03/12h2J9/

[rjd]

1st:

Exposure	0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	220 mm
ISO Speed	1250

2nd:

Exposure	0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	214 mm
ISO Speed	2000

You could have trusted the IS a little more and droped that 1/400th to 1/100th and taken the ISO down to ISO 400 or so.

[riley989]

I'd expent anything above ISO1600 to start gettnig pretty noisy, although if your blowing up the images quite large I'd try not shoot over ISO400. That being said if you need higher iso's use them, its much harder to fix blurry images then noisy ones.

[KLKA]

Ok so in auto mode (which I will be shooting in a bit until I get the hang of all the modes) I can't control the ISO manually - but I see I can change the maximum ISO value, is it worth limiting it or will affect other shots which might need it higher?

[Arthurhh]

Nothing wrong in starting with an Auto Mode, the 600D should have a "Creative mode" that looks after most settings for you and will produce rather good (But not astounding) results. It will use flash at times (When you least expect it) and will manage the output of the flash.

Shoot any and everything that you can using that mode and then go back and see the exif data for the settings the camera chose. It will start giving you a feel for all the variables that you have control over.

The first bad habit I had to correct for myself when I got into Zoom lens work was the lazy walk. The lazy walk is taking one position if from of the subject and letting the zoom do my walking for me.

[BlueRose]

Coming late to the party, why are you trying to shoot on manual first up? Having been where you are, I worked on the principal the camera was smarter than I was, and I started out in P mode (it allows you to change all the options like shutter speed, ISO and exposure if you want, but does the heavy lifting) and learn how your camera does its thing before trying to fly solo?

And the Dummies guides are not written by photographers for photographers so I dont recommend them

[randomguy]

Hi KLKA,

Have a read of this article
http://digital-photography-school.co...al-photography

It's a very easy read and quite helpful!

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

[KLKA]

Arthurhh: thanks for the suggestion but how do I see the exif data? A photo a friend took on her Canon shows the lens info but mine don't seem to

Blue Rose: I meant auto mode.. I kept saying the wrong one in a conversation with my mum too apart from the manual is there another book you would suggest then?

randomguy: thank you for the link I will have a quick read

I have been on creative auto mode recently and have added some more photos to that Flickr link if anyone is interested. Had a real good play around and my hubby even took a few of me riding which was great, so nice to finally get the horse's legs in the right place

ETA: have just seen the "see exif data" tab on flickr

[Arthurhh]

Arthurhh: thanks for the suggestion but how do I see the exif data? A photo a friend took on her Canon shows the lens info but mine don't seem to

Try using Picasa a freebie and it does give exif data

Blue Rose: I meant auto mode.. I kept saying the wrong one in a conversation with my mum too apart from the manual is there another book you would suggest then?

randomguy: thank you for the link I will have a quick read

I have been on creative auto mode recently and have added some more photos to that Flickr link if anyone is interested. Had a real good play around and my hubby even took a few of me riding which was great, so nice to finally get the horse's legs in the right place

ETA: have just seen the "see exif data" tab on flickr

In another thread I have posted a link to a site that has a few interesting beginner type articles. (The Bar Stool a thread called stuff).

Despite having had an involvement at one level or another for several decades with photography, I am still only just ahead of your level IMHO. I do not have an Artistic eye/bent but do have a high technical bent so I am in a new learning phase of enjoying photography and trying not to get hung up on being artistic and clever at the same time.